Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Milton Santa Rosa Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Milton, Florida 32583
Thursday, December 2, 2004 13:12 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot stated that the preflight was normal, fuel was "clear", no water was present, and he had approximately 35 gallons of fuel in the fuel tanks. He taxied to runway 36 and did an engine run-up prior to takeoff. He noted that the fuel selector was on the right fuel tank. He departed on runway 36, and shortly after liftoff the airplane engine started to run "rough", the pilot then switched the fuel tank selector to the left tank, he could not remember if the fuel tank selector was on a detent or not. He made a 180-degree turn to return back to the field and crashed 116 feet west of the north end of runway 18. The pilot added, during that time with the engine problem, he placed his right hand on the yoke and with the left hand he reached for the fuel selector slapping it to the left tank position. In the process he was leaning into and pulling on the yoke. With FAA oversight, Lycoming and Piper conducted examination of the airplane and engine. The airplane's engine examination revealed no indication of pre-impact anomalies or failure. The fuel lines were examined and no indication of fuel contamination was present. Fuel was found in all fuel lines forward of the gascolator on the firewall. The fuel tank selector was found in the off position. The FAA inspector stated that the witnesses who assisted with the accident recovery did not change the fuel selector position.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the improper fuel selector position.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/2/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1312 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Milton |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 32583 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 303815N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0865937W |
| Event Location Airport | Milton Santa Rosa |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 2R4 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 82 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1255 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 330 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KNSE |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 170 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 5 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 15000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 6000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Thin Broken |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 7 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 15 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 4 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 0 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.14 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 18833 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Santa Rosa Sheriff Office's |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 2 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1439 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 20 2005 6:27AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Birmingham FSDO-09 |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N7510W |
| NTSB Number | MIA05LA036 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-28-180 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28-2907 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1392 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Nov 1 2004 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 2 |
| Airframe Hours | 3623.44 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Richard C. Miller |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2045 Downing Dr. |
| Aircraft Owner City | Pensacola |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 32505 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | -- |
| Operator State | -- |
| Operator Country | -- |
| Operator Zip code | -- |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | 2R4 |
| Departure City | Milton |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1312 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | -- |
| Destination State | -- |
| Destination Country | -- |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff - initial climb |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 4 2005 2:14PM |
| User who most recently changed record | KENJ |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 36 |
| Runway Length | 3700 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |